NARRAGANSETTâThe University of Rhode Islandâs research vessel Endeavor returned to port this past Tuesday, number 500 in the shipâs long career of transporting scientists throughout the worldâs oceans and reporting back millions of pieces of quality, oceanographic data. The most recent trip, however, took a step further by bringing undergraduates along to experience life onboard conducting research.

âIt was a unique experience for us because all of our students at the GSO have Bachelorâs degrees,â said Dr. David Smith, Associate Dean at GSO. âWe are trying to give undergraduate students the opportunity to see how it is to work at sea doing real science.â

âThe undergraduates were just out there willing to help and interested in learning,â he added.

Smith and Chief Scientist Dr. Thomas Rossby took five undergraduates out on the Endeavor for a week-long sojourn to research the Gulf Stream. Along with two post-doctoral students, the expedition was divided into three projects which took the Endeavor from Rhode Island Sound down to northern edge of the Sargasso Sea.